Mischief and Fire
by Alexandria Moon
Summary: Loki Gabriel. The name fits her perfectly. This fourth-year trickster has harboured feelings for a certain Weasley twin for three long, painful years. Her older brother Rhys, with the help of Fred Weasley, hatches a plot to push these two tricksters together against the backdrop of the Triwizard Tournament. But if you play with fire, sooner or later you're going to be burned.
1. Chapter 1

"Miss Gabriel, would you please pay attention? That's the second time today you've almost made Mr Longbottom the recipient of a Stunning Spell," Professor Flitwick asked, not unkindly, to the Gryffindor student.

Charms was usually her one of her favourite subjects, but for some reason Loki Gabriel's head was off in the clouds today. Loki Gabriel – such a masculine name, but she reckoned she would hate it if it didn't describe her perfectly. When she was born, her mother had insisted upon naming the new-born after the Norse god of mischief, who could change his appearance at will and loved to play tricks. The Gabriel family hadn't expected Loki to mould to her name so perfectly – like her namesake, she was mischievous and adored pulling pranks – it was the reason she got along decently enough with the Weasley twins, who were two years ahead of her. She was older for her year – fifteen, but that didn't bother her.

The fourth-year was thinking about the Triwizard Cup – in a few days the Cup would have its choices ready for the Champions, and while Loki had considered trying to trick the Cup, she wasn't stupid – Dumbledore would have made some sort of enchantments against trickery. Her brother Rhys, a seventh-year Slytherin, had thrown his name in the Cup, but Loki was hoping he would be passed up. The comments made about the death toll in the competition's history had set Loki's teeth on edge. Her second-oldest brother, Leo, was a week shy of his seventeenth birthday, but by the time it rolled around the Cup would have already picked the Champions. Leo was brilliant, and she had no doubt that had he entered and been picked, he would have won. She only had one younger brother, and that was Zephyr, a fellow Gryffindor and a third-year.

Musing over her family caused Loki's attentions to wander elsewhere, and she was surprised when Professor Flitwick appeared before her with an annoyed look on his usually happy face. "Miss Gabriel, will you please take Mr Longbottom to the Hospital Wing? I'm afraid he hit his head rather hard when you Stunned him."

Loki felt awful, and apologised continuously to Neville the whole way to the Hospital Wing. Neville couldn't get a word in edgewise to tell Loki that it was okay and he felt fine. Madam Pomfrey was forced to cast a Silencing Spell on the girl so Neville could explain what had happened. Madam Pomfrey sent Loki away, and Neville promised her that he would let her know when he was out of the Hospital Wing.

On her way back to Charms, Loki collided head-on with someone else – it was like colliding with a brick wall. That someone caught Loki before she could tumble down the stairs, chuckling as they did so.

"You might want to watch where you're going," Rhys Gabriel rumbled in his baritone voice. No wonder it felt like running into a wall – Rhys was the blind-side Beater for the Slytherin Quidditch team.

"Sorry," Loki mumbled.

"No worries little one, where are you headed? I'll walk you there, but if its class, then lunch is in ten minutes."

"I guess I'm heading to lunch then," Loki laughed. Rhys wrapped his arm around his much-shorter sister's shoulders and they began walking down to the Great Hall. As they passed a group of Ravenclaw girls, the whole group began pointing and whispering at the seventh-year Slytherin. Loki rolled her eyes. She could understand why people found her brother attractive – he was, admittedly, ruggedly handsome and the "looker" of the family, but his massive ego didn't need any more fuel.

"Why are you out of class anyway? Charms, right? I thought that was one of your favourites."

"Hospital wing," Loki explained. "I might've accidentally stunned someone and made them hit their head on the way down."

Rhys rolled his eyes. "Daydreaming again?"

"Maybe."

"Ooh, was it your precious Weasley?" Rhys teased.

"Shut_ up_!" Loki looked around with a reddened face, but no one was in their vicinity. Ever since he had wriggled the truth out of her over the summer after her first year, Rhys had taken to teasing his sister obnoxiously about her little crush on George Weasley. Of course, he assumed that it was just a schoolgirl crush and that his sister was just being a schoolgirl. He would have strangled both her and the few guys she had had, ahem "romantic relations" with, if he knew that someone had deflowered his precious sister. He liked to pretend that Loki was still his "little one," and that she couldn't fall in love, despite the fact that she had had a solid relationship with a Ravenclaw named David for nine months up until the first day of this school year. He was a brother in denial, and Loki was perfectly content to let him stay that way.

"Oh I'm just teasing," Rhys chuckled as he gestured for Loki to enter the Great Hall in front of him. There was a smattering of students milling about, waiting for lunch. "I've never said anything to him, have I?"

"I certainly hope not," Loki grumbled. Rhys squeezed her shoulder before heading over to the Slytherin table, greeting some of his fellow seventh-years. Loki stuck her tongue out at him before going to the Gryffindor table. As she passed the Ravenclaw table she waved at Leo, who was busy chatting with his fellow housemates.

"Afternoon Loki," Seamus Finnigan greeted her as she sat across from him.

"Hey Seamus," Loki returned before gulping down a goblet of pumpkin juice. Seamus raised an eyebrow at her behaviour, but the next words out of his mouth made Loki feel much better.

"Longbottom's okay. I just ran into him on my way down here," Seamus grinned. Loki kicked him under the seat and gave him a mocking smile as he groaned.

"Injuring other people are we?" a voice asked mischievously. Loki felt a kiss on each of her cheeks before the Weasley twins plopped down on either side of her – Fred to her left, George to her right.

Over the summer, the twins had made the wise decision to grow out their hair – it made them look even more handsome than normal. There was something about George that was more handsome than Fred, but Loki could never quite put her finger on it.

"We heard you sent Longbottom to the Hospital Wing. Wasn't very nice of her, was it George?"

"No, not very nice at all," George answered. "Doesn't that usually evoke some sort of punishment Fred?" Loki squirmed slightly at the word 'punishment' dropping from George's lips. Fred, who was not thick, grinned wickedly.

"Of course it does George! And how should Miss Gabriel be punished, George?" Fred was growing closer to Loki's face, breathing the words in her ear.

"How indeed?" George said softly in Loki's ear. She felt her stomach tighten, but she remained frozen for only a minute before smacking each of the twins on the arm.

"Oh leave me alone you gits, it was an accident!"

Fred and George exchanged grins before digging in to what looked like goulash. Loki didn't quite know what to say. Fire was burning in her stomach. Damn the Weasley twins! She swore that somehow Fred knew, and what Fred knew, George knew. So either neither of them knew, or they both knew and had fun teasing her (thus George did not like her - it sounded logical enough to her.)

Loki groaned and smashed her hand down on the table, startling the twins as her hand flew into a bowl of goulash, causing the Hungarian food to splatter everywhere. Loki's green eyes were burning, and suddenly George saw why. The bowl had shattered, and Loki was effectively bleeding all over her lunch.

"Merlin, are you alright?" George exclaimed. He gently took her hand in his and muttered a spell to heal her hand. One of his fingers was placed over the pulse point of her wrist, and thus it was easy for him to notice when her pulse sped up. George frowned and looked at Loki in confusion. Fred had a shit-eating grin on his face. Loki pulled her hand away from George and grabbed another helping of goulash from a less-bloody bowl.

"So what did you do to Longbottom exactly?" Fred asked with the same wicked grin on his face.

"I Stunned him! Good grief it's not like I lit him on fire or turned his skin green or made bats come out of his arse!"

"Who has bats coming out of his arse?" Zephyr asked as he plopped down next to Seamus.

"No one!" Loki nearly shrieked. Fred, George, and Seamus were struggling to hold in their laughter and Zephyr looked absolutely bewildered.

"Apparently you, then," Zephyr muttered in a rare moment of sarcasm as he grimaced at the sight of the bloody goulash. "Who bled in the Hungarian food?"

"Loki," Fred and George chimed simultaneously. The girl grumbled half-hearted obscenities in the twins' direction. She was never this… submissive. Usually she had a sharp, retort to match the twins' insults and jabs. What the blazes was wrong with her? Even when George made her nervous she had a retort or two!

Loki felt eyes on her and looked up to see Rhys looking at her with a wide smirk on his face. When he made eye contact with his sister he winked, causing her to blush a hellacious scarlet colour. She moved her eyes down to focus back on the bloody goulash bowl, but to her surprise (though she knew she shouldn't have been) the bowl had vanished back to the kitchens.

"I'm finished." She stood up quickly, jarring the table and knocking Zephyr's pumpkin juice into his goulash. Her younger brother just stared at his half-ruined dinner.

"But there's scones for dessert with clotted cream," George said in confusion. "Your favourite."

The scones sounded tempting, but she couldn't sit there another minute, not with Rhys and Fred doing their best to embarrass her. George was being nice, but she knew he was probably going to have a laugh with Fred later. She shook her head to clear her mind. She knew she had to be thinking irrationally. Fred and George were her best friends. Surely they wouldn't be cruel.

"I have to, um, finish an essay for Sinistra before Herbology," she lied.

"But Astronomy's your best subject! Come on, stay down here for dessert!" George smiled at her. His palms were sweaty, and he felt Fred kick him hard under the table. Fred was the only one who knew about his feelings for Loki. He'd sat back and watched for three years while she'd tested the waters with other guys (only three, George kept a tally), but the feelings had been there since the end of his third year. Fred always seemed to be hinting at something, but he would never say what. It was annoying as hell. Tricksters are good at that.

But Loki just waved to her friends and scurried out of the Great Hall, making sure to avoid eye contact with Rhys or Leo. She'd finished Sinistra's essay last night, but it didn't hurt to read up on Saturn's lesser-known moons. At any rate, it would keep her mind off of the Weasley twins and the upcoming disaster that was Herbology. She couldn't remember the names or qualities of most plants – it was a miracle she was even mediocre with Potions (even that was stretching it a bit. She managed to mix up nettles and wolfsbane once, resulting in a melted cauldron and a week of detentions with the Potions Master himself.) If she got an OWL in either subject… well, that was a year off. No point in thinking about it now.

The only thing she wanted to think about was Saturn's moons. Not Herbology or Potions, not ex-boyfriends, and certainly not about George Fabian Weasley. Unfortunately, her brain and heart would have a thing or two to say about that.

* * *

**I am on the hunt for a beta reader! If anyone is interested, please feel free to PM me. I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! **

**-A.M. **


	2. Chapter 2

On Halloween night, the Cup made its four decisions. Yes, that's right, four. For the first time, the Triwizard Tournament had four champions: Viktor Krum (all the girls swooned), Fleur Delacour (all the men swooned), Cedric Diggory (Hogwarts cheered), and Harry Potter (silence fell.) Everyone, even the Hogwarts students, was stunned and angry at Harry's inclusion in the Triwizard Tournament, particularly Hufflepuff house.

When the four Champions disappeared into a back room, Loki felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the wickedly delighted grin of Rhys. Leo was not far behind, though he had a contemplative look on his face as he wracked his brain for any possible way that Harry Potter could have entered his name into the Cup.

"I don't think I've ever seen Dumbles that pissed," Rhys sounded excited. "Good on Potter, good on Potter. Oi!" he thumped Leo in the back of the head. "What're you thinking about, genius?"

"What the hell do you think I'm thinking about?" Leo asked in an irritated voice. "There's no way that Harry Potter knows magic powerful enough to bewitch the Triwizard Cup."

"I just hope he's okay," Loki said, peering over the twins' heads at the doors the Champions had gone through. "He could get in serious trouble."

"Cor, you're fuckin' me, right?" Rhys said.

"I hope not." Loki had a disgusted look on her face.

"Potter is probably Dumbles' secret love child or something. He never gets in trouble!"

"No, but that would be a hell of a plot twist," Loki muttered.

"Come on," George said in her ear. "Let's get back to the Tower before there's a riot." Indeed, the students were beginning to buzz angrily, and if Loki's ears were working correctly, she swore she heard a boy from Beauxbatons making quite a serious threat towards the Gryffindor table.

"Good idea." George sealed her hand with his own warm one and the three tricksters disappeared from the bustling hall and went back up to Gryffindor Tower.

"How the hell do you think he did it? Couldn't have been an aging potion. We saw how that one worked out," Fred thought aloud.

"Haven't the foggiest," Loki said, her cheeks still burning from when George had grabbed her hand. As soon as they were out of the Great Hall he'd let go like her hand was on fire. Loki kept her focus on her feet, hoping the twins wouldn't see her red cheeks. "You think they'll let him compete?"

"I think they have to," Fred replied as George said the password to the Fat Lady. The common room was empty. Sensing his luck, Fred turned to his twin and friend. "I think I'm going to pop down to the kitchens for a bit. Either of you want anything?"

"Cuppa would be nice. Or some coffee if they have it," Loki replied.

"Cream puffs," George shrugged. "And a cuppa."

"Two sugars and a cream for your coffee, yeah?" Fred asked as the other two climbed through the portrait hole.

"Yeah!" Loki replied as the Fat Lady shut off Gryffindor Tower. Loki sauntered across the room and collapsed in one of the cushy scarlet chairs in front of the fire. George took the chair opposite her. Suddenly, the atmosphere felt stuffy and thickened. Loki had a feeling even a Reductor curse couldn't blast a hole through the tension in the room.

The fire flickering was the only sound in the room. George swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. Loki didn't notice, she was too busy staring at her suddenly-fascinating cuticles.

"So… uh," George cleared his throat. "Wizards Chess?"

"Yeah." Loki said quickly. "I'll go get my set."

She leapt off of the chair like it had burned her and raced up the stairs to the fourth-year girls' dormitory. When she reached the empty room she slammed the door shut before leaning against it and letting out a breath she didn't even realise she'd been holding.

"Bloody hell," George whispered down in the common room.

"Oh piss it," Loki mumbled.

Fred was on his way back to Gryffindor Tower when he saw the back of a familiar, broad-shouldered Slytherin. Out of all of her siblings, Loki seemed to be the closest with her eldest brother. An idea had germinated in Fred's mind, and he knew he needed to get Rhys' attention before it was too late.

"Oi! Gabriel!"

At the sound of his last name, Rhys turned away from his fellow Slytherins and saw the better-looking (in Fred's mind) of the Weasley twins waving him down.

"Just a second guys. Actually… fuck it, I'll meet you back in the dungeons."

"What's the Weasel want with you?" one of the girls asked.

"Probably about my sister. I'll catch you guys later." He made his way through the crowd of students and stopped in front of Fred, who had two cups in his hands and a bulge in his pocket. "Which one are you?"

"I'm Fred. Listen, you wouldn't happen to be interested in a little… matchmaking, would you?"

"You're not interested in a Slytherin, are you?" Rhys asked in surprise.

"Oh no, 'course not. Err, no offence of course. Not for me. Between my brother and your little sister."

Rhys' defences went up. "Why? What're his intentions?"

"Intentions? You're blind too? Georgie has been madly in love with her for three years, and it takes an idiot not to notice that she's gaga over him," Fred snorted. "So what do you say? I just want to see my brother happy."

Rhys considered this for a moment. He did want his sister to be happy. He knew George would treat her well, and he knew she would be happy with him (however long the relationship lasted.) "All right. I'll help you, but I'm not promising anything. Loki's very shy. Doesn't give out her heart too easily."

Fred's eyebrow quirked up. Clearly Rhys was either in denial or didn't know that his sister had been in a couple of relationships and slept with a couple of guys. He assumed the latter, because David, Benedict, Neil, and Seamus were all still alive. "Wicked. I'll let you know when I think of something… or you let me know."

"Right, right," Rhys waved it away.

"Nice doing business with you," Fred grinned before bounding away.

When Fred arrived in the tower, his twin and his twin's girl (at least that's what she was in Fred's mind) were engaged in a tough match of chess. In two moves, George could have Loki checkmated, if he didn't let her win.

"One coffee with two sugars and a cream for the lady," Fred set the cup of coffee in front of Loki. "Aaaannnddd one cuppa and a bowl of cream puffs for the twit." He set the other items in front of George and ignored the obscene hand gesture his twin sent his way. "So looks like Georgie's got you beat, eh Loki?"

"Shut it you," Loki and George grumbled simultaneously.

Fred grinned. Oh yes. This was going to work out just fine.


	3. Chapter 3

History of Magic was absolutely dull. Binns was droning on and on about something, and though Loki tried to pay attention, his flat, reedy voice made it practically impossible. How in the world Leo liked this subject, she would never know. Then again… Leo liked every subject (except perhaps Divination.) She lazily scanned the room and saw that Ron was asleep on his desk. Even Hermione Granger was having trouble listening. Loki looked to her right and saw Seamus leaning on his hand, his eyes shut and his mouth open. She let out a giggle before patting her robes and withdrawing a cream puff she'd stolen from George's bowl the night before. Gently, she popped the cream puff in Seamus' mouth, causing him to jump and fall out of his chair.

Binns didn't stop droning, but the noise woke Ron up, and most of the class was looking curiously in their direction. Loki bit down on the back of her hand to keep from laughing aloud while Seamus, grumbling, pulled himself back onto his chair.

"Not funny," he hissed through a mouthful of half-chewed cream puff.

"You're disgusting, Finnigan. You should be happy it didn't turn you into a canary or something," Loki laughed as she brushed a strand of very dark auburn hair out of her face.

"The day a cream puff can turn anyone into a canary is the day your ma pulls the stick out of her ass." Seamus licked his lips.

"You can say that again."

"Grabshoe, Finerran, please. I am _trying_ to teach," Binns said in an annoyed voice.

The two muttered something that could have been construed as an apology or as something extremely obscene. Either way, Binns was satisfied and went back to droning. Hermione looked flabbergasted at the language she swore she heard coming from her fellow Gryffindors' mouths, but the look was enough to send Loki and Seamus into fits of hushed laughter.

She thanked Merlin that George didn't take this class. After their childish 'relationship' between second and third year, Loki and Seamus had become very good friends, but she would die of embarrassment if George thought she was actually flirting with the good-natured Irishman.

Finally, Binns let them go. Loki wasn't even halfway out the door when she was yanked around a corner by a pair of hands. One flew to her mouth to keep her from screaming, the other grabbed onto her shoulder strap to make pulling her easier.

Without a second thought, Loki sank her teeth down into the hand of her assailant.

"Bloody hell!" Rhys hissed, looking at the puncture marks in his hand. "What is wrong with you?"

"Me! What's wrong with _you_? Grabbing me and dragging me around the corner like that! You could have just asked!" Loki exclaimed.

"Yeah yeah. Not really my style. Anyway. I suppose you're accompanying the twins on the Hogsmeade weekend, yeah?"

"Um… I guess," Loki scratched the back of her head with the tip of her quill (the one she'd been _trying_ to put away when Rhys so ungraciously snatched her up.) "I dunno, I hadn't really thought about it. Why?"

"Oh good. Listen, just thought I'd give you a fair warning. Mum is coming to the first task. Something about 'ancient Wizarding traditions' and how her family is so bloody spectacular."

Loki felt her stomach drop. "When did you figure this out?"

"She wrote me. I got the letter this morning, along with the usual instructions to keep you, ahem, 'as far away from those blood-traitor Weasleys as possible!'" He mimicked their mother's snobbish wail perfectly. "Anyway. She's apparently got a new spy on in her little black book."

"Let me guess," Loki snarled.

"Yep. Your favourite Malfoy."

"Damn," Loki swore angrily. "What the hell does she think is going to happen? Does she think I'm going to repopulate the halls of Hogwarts with the children of the Weasley family?"

Rhys bit his tongue so hard he tasted blood. That was _exactly_ what their mother was afraid of. Not just Weasleys, but anyone not 'worthy' of their mother's 'noble ancient family blah blah blah.' There was also the fact that he didn't want to think about Loki repopulating anything with anyone. He'd rip George in half.

"Just thought I'd warn you."

Leo Gabriel was busy studying in the library when his sister found him among stacks and stacks of books. He was always studying for his NEWTs, even though they were at least a year off. He looked up at his sister over the rim of his black square-framed reading glasses and smiled before returning to scratch away at an essay for Potions.

"How can I help you sis?" he asked as he dipped the quill back in the inkwell.

There was a soft sigh as Loki sat down in the chair next to him. "I take it you know about mum?"

"Of course." Leo did not look up. "But that's not why you're here, is it?"

"Come on Leo… he's in your year…in a few of your classes" Loki looked over her shoulder to make sure Madam Pince wasn't behind her. "Can't you tell me anything?"

Leo chuckled softly. "You mean can I tell you if he flirts with other women? If he looks at them longingly?" He leaned back in his chair. "Why don't you just talk to him yourself, instead of getting Rhys, Zephyr, and me to do your dirty work for you?"

"And have him laugh in my face?" Loki snorted. Madam Pince shushed her from behind a bookshelf. "I think not," the Gryffindor whispered.

"Do you really think he would do that? Come on Loki, you're being ridiculous. You're terrible at hiding this, you know. I'm pretty sure the entire school knows how you feel about George, except maybe George. You're entirely transparent."

"Oh thanks, that makes me feel better," Loki grumbled.

"You're unreadable in a lot of things, but not in this." Leo returned to writing his essay. "I've told you before. I'll tell you if he starts anything with another woman, but trust me, you'll know it way before I do."

Leo felt a soft peck on his cheek before Loki whisked away through the bookshelves. Merlin, she had to be blind.

"What's on your mind?" George asked his twin as he plopped down next to him in Defence against the Dark Arts. He actually liked Moody, even though he was a bit of a crazy old bat. The ex-Auror wasn't in the room yet, so George didn't think he'd get his head torn off for talking.

"Nothing much, Forge. What's on yours?"

"Nothing much, Gred. Is Loki coming with us on the Hogsmeade weekend?"

Fred felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a smile. "Why are you asking me? Why don't you just ask her?"

George's defences went up. "I haven't seen much of her today! You said you were going to ask her!"

"Nooo, I said one of us needs to ask her. I didn't say I would. Assumed you would, Forge. Anything to get closer to…" Fred's voice was muffled as George clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Oi, shut it you!" George nodded his head in the direction of the door, where Leo had just walked in. Fred's grin grew even wider. He mumbled something against George's hands, but before George could smack him across the head, Moody clomped into the room.

"Weasley! Get your hand off of your brother's mouth! Today we're going to…"

But Fred had already tuned the professor out. Georgie would tell him what they were up to anyway. The cogs of Fred's overexcited brain were beginning to turn. He loved plotting. Plotting was fun, particularly when his brother was on the receiving end of the plot. Merlin, he had to be absolutely thick.

Then again, Fred always was the brilliant one (in his mind anyway.)


	4. Chapter 4

That evening, after dinner, Loki could be found sitting cross-legged on the floor and staring at a blank wall, balancing a rather nice china teacup on her head. Of all the places to do this, she had chosen the landing of the sixth floor Gryffindor boys' dormitory which was (luckily) empty (for now.) She needed to think, and she thought better when she balanced a teacup on her head. Not specifically a teacup, anything balanceable would do really. Two piece of shortbread were on a small plate. The cuppa on her head had a little milk and sugar, but it had gone cold a while ago. Her Care of Magical Creatures book was open, but she'd stopped trying to read it a long time ago.

"Um… is this some sort of weird study ritual I don't know about?" George asked curiously, peering into the cup on her head to see if there was actually any tea in it.

"No," Loki's voice broke. "It's my thinking position."

"You have to balance a cuppa on your head and sit outside my dorm to think properly?" George chuckled, sitting down next to her and lifting up the cover of her book to read the title. "A bit strange, but I'll buy it. What's on the brain? I doubt its class, because I've never seen you study like this before."

"Just thinking in general. Happen to be stuck on a particularly difficult topic right now, so I came upstairs to think."

"Do you do this often, because I have to admit it would be a little odd if you did this while all of us were sleeping?"

"Not always here. In fact, I haven't thought here since last year. Funny. I don't know anyone that's a seventh year Gryffindor now. Hmm. Oh well," Loki shrugged, upsetting the teacup and causing cold tea to spill all over her and George. She tried her best to keep from blushing, but her body wasn't having it. "Oh I'm a bloody genius."

"Well I guess it's a good thing you're not in Ravenclaw," George muttered, half-jokingly. Loki shoved his shoulder, but it barely moved the muscular Beater. The dust settled, and with it came an awkward silence. A bit of tea dripped from the tips of Loki's hair. George cleared his throat. "So… Hogsmeade. Should be fun, eh? I figured I'd ask if you were coming with me, err…" a light pink tinged his cheeks. "Us!" he practically shouted, causing Loki to jump. "Us! I meant us! Gred… err… Fred and me. So…" he cleared his throat again. "Yeah?"

"Right. Sounds fine to me," Loki said. She reached for her Care of Magical Creatures book at the same time as George, and his hand landed on top of hers. Now her whole face was on fire. She felt a crackle of electricity spark in her hand. George didn't move his hand for a few seconds, until Loki cleared her throat. "Right. Can I have my hand back?"

"Oh. Yeah." George removed his hand and shook her long hair into his face to keep her from noticing his blush. Merlin, what the blazes was wrong with him? He was acting like a bloody school girl.

"I'm gonna go shower to wash this off." Loki stood from the ground. George stood up so quickly he almost tumbled backwards down the stairs.

"Right. Um, can you help me with an Astronomy assignment after? Something about Neptune, I think."

Loki's hands trembled, causing her to nearly drop her book, teacup, and shortbread. "Sure. Why did you take NEWT level Astronomy? How in the world is that going to help you with your joke shop?"

"For fun," George said automatically, though it was a flat-out lie. He'd taken Astronomy (not necessarily his best subject, but he'd made a sufficient OWL grade to take the NEWT class by studying his arse off) in order to spend more time with her. She could have taken NEWT level Astronomy if she wanted, but she'd rather spend all seven years in the class as opposed to getting it over with as quickly as possible.

"Right. Sure, no problem I'll help you, just let me clean up." She moved to walk past him, but he moved in the same direction as her. They did a little back-and-forth waltz until finally George planted his hands on her shoulder and rotated them around so that Loki was on the edge of the stairs and he was standing right in front of the door. "Right." Loki repeated. His touch was electrifying. If he couldn't feel her racing pulse, she'd be shocked. Slowly she pulled away before scurrying down the stairs.

"Smooth, George," he muttered to himself. "Bloody hell."

"Oh I think you did splendidly Georgie," Fred said from the shadows. George wanted to smack the bright grin off of his brother's face.

"What the hell were you doing there?" George asked in annoyance.

"Spying of course. Taking a NEWT class for fun?" Fred snorted with laughter. "I doubt Loki believed that crock of shite. You just took the class because she's wickedly good at it."

"Shut up," George grumbled, but he didn't deny what his twin was saying.

"Why don't you, you know, actually make a move on her? I'm sure you'd sweep her off her feet, and all of Gryffindor would cheer and then you two could go up to the dorms and shag like a pair of rabbits."

"Oi! Don't talk about her like that!" George swatted Fred on the arm.

"Real painful," Fred said sarcastically. "I'm in so much pain. But of course, dear Georgie, you're in so much pain from your heartache! Oh Loki! I love you so!" Fred pretended to swoon. "Please Loki, won't you marry me? I'll be forever yours!"

Fred and George tumbled down the stairs, each flipping the other over until they hit the landing for the fourth year boys' dormitory. Ron pulled open the door and saw his brothers wrestling.

"What?" the youngest Weasley boy was confused. The twins didn't hear his question. "Oi! What are you two doing?"

"Piss off ickle Ronniekins. This is between my brother and me," Fred laughed.

"What am I, a second cousin?" Ron asked.

"No, but in a second you'll be screaming from an Acromantula in your sheets if you say a word about this," George grumbled. Ron's face turned white and he slammed the door. "You're a prat," he spat to Fred, who just had a wide grin on his face.

"Um… did I miss something?" Loki asked as she looked down at the twins. George quickly leapt off of his brother.

"Georgie and I were just having an exchange of opinions," Fred said from the ground, his head resting in his hands.

"Right then. George. Essay?"

"In my dorm," he muttered shyly, before dashing up the stairs to retrieve his Astronomy supplies.

In her hands, Loki was holding the sixth year Astronomy book (she owned whatever books she could find at Flourish and Blotts on Astronomy) and a chart of Neptune's moons. In the margins, she'd made her own little notes in spidery, slanted handwriting. She squinted at one of the notes before looking down at Fred, who was watching her with an impish grin.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer. Are you going to stay down there forever?" she asked him.

"If I had an incentive to get off the floor, maybe I would." Fred waggled his eyebrows, causing Loki to gently kick him in the foot.

"You're an idiot."

"Ah yes, but I'm _your_ idiot, aren't I?" Fred stood up and dusted himself off before pulling Loki into a tight hug. Confused, she patted his back. However, Fred leaned down to whisper in her ear, and what he said sent chills up her spine. "Or is that George?"

How the hell could he know about that? Was Leo right? Was she really that bloody transparent.

"Oi, what's going on down here?" George asked. "Freddie, are you making the moves on our Loki?"

"He means _his_ Loki," Fred's voice floated into Loki's ear before he pulled away, slinging his arm around Loki's shoulders. "Oh of course! We're madly in love George, can't you tell? We're going to elope and move to Hungary and then no one will ever find us again because we'll be too busy populating the world with more little Weasleys!"

"Get off of me," Loki giggled, pushing Fred away.

"Ouch darling, I'm hurt." Fred slapped his hand over his heart. "I thought we had something special."

"Yeah yeah. We can elope after I help George with his Astronomy essay, sound okay? But let's move to Austria. I can only handle so much goulash before I'm sick of it."

"But what about palacsinta? I thought you loved those," Fred said as he gently pulled Loki down to the common room.

"Oh I do, but too much goulash is never a good thing no matter what else there is to eat."  
As his brother and Loki discussed Hungarian cuisine, George couldn't help but feel a sting of jealousy in his stomach. Exactly what was Fred playing at? But Fred would never do anything to steal Loki away. That just wasn't like him.

Fred could practically feel the jealousy radiating off of his twin, and as Loki went on about some Hungarian desserts, Fred let a grin crawl over his face. He didn't have much of a plan, but winging it seemed to be working so far. After all, George knew what he wanted. He'd do anything to get Loki, Fred knew that much. Perhaps a little push caused by jealousy (due to some harmless flirting on Fred's part) was all his twin needed.

Fred just hoped this wouldn't backfire, or Rhys would have his head.


	5. Chapter 5

"George, I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself," Loki looked over his essay. "Triton is _not_a regular moon. It's an irregular moon." She didn't mean to sound so rude, but she'd explained this about four times already. "Also, its surface is made up carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, and ice, not carbon monoxide, methane, neon, and ice."

George groaned as Loki crossed out something, but Fred was hiding a grin. He knew George was messing up on purpose. Every time Loki would return George's essay to be rewritten, their fingers would brush up against each other and Fred would suppress a snort. He was readily waiting for wedding invitations to be sent out.

"When is this essay due again?" Loki asked.

"Tomorrow," George grumbled as he looked over his third corrected essay.

Loki pulled out her uncle's old pocket watch and flicked it open. _10:34_. "George, we've been at it for three hours."

Fred choked on his tea, then attempted to cover it up by coughing.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'll get it right this time." But Fred saw the slight grin and the happiness in George's eyes. Maybe he was finally getting some courage.

"You better," Loki said as she flicked the pocket watch shut and shoved it back in her pocket. It had been a gift from her uncle upon her acceptance into Gryffindor house. She didn't get to see him very often, but she loved the watch. It always reminded her of him. She had put his waving picture on the inside of the watch, so she could always see his happy face. How he was related to her father… she never knew. It was mummy dearest's idea that they were forbidden to see him anyway. Then again there were people like her Aunt Bella, and she knew for damn certain that her mother was related to that cunning bitch.

"You tired?" George asked concernedly.

"A bit," Loki said through a yawn. She lay down across the couch. "When you're done with that rewrite, just give me a shout."

Loki woke up in a soft bed that she certainly didn't remember falling asleep in. Without opening her eyes, she knew two things: one, it was still dark outside, and two, this was definitely not her bed. This bed smelled different than hers – it had a spicy, masculine smell to it. And there was definitely an underlying scent of soap. She opened her eyes and stuck her hand out to the bedside table, where she found her wand and her Uncle Stephen's pocket watch.

"_Lumos_," she whispered. The tip of her wand began to glow, and she realised that the bed curtains were drawn, and she was alone. She opened the watch. _4:31_. "Shite."

She slowly crept out of the bed, trying her hardest not to wake any of the other boys in the dorm. When she left the room, she found that she had been in the sixth year boys' dormitory. Her own bed, with its flowery smell, sounded nice right now. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, she put her uncle's pocket watch in her pocket and made her way down the stairs.

In the Gryffindor common room, George was fast asleep on the couch she had previously occupied. Her Astronomy book and chart were neatly put together, next to a copy of his finished essay. Fred was nowhere to be found. Loki smiled softly. In his sleep, George looked so peaceful. It was weird to see him without a mischievous glint in his eyes.

For a moment, she felt that feeling of wanting to wake up in his arms, before she felt horrified at the thought. She couldn't keep being so damn transparent. Oh what did it matter now? George was fast asleep. He couldn't judge her here. But now she felt bad. She'd taken up George's bed. She didn't know if she'd feel worse for waking him up or for letting him sleep on the couch. So she did the former.

"Hmm?" the Weasley twin groaned as he stretched. "L-loki?" he yawned. "Merlin it's cold in here." The fire was just barely burning in the gate. "What time is it?"

"Four thirty-ish. I just woke up, and I wanted to thank you," Loki said softly.

"N-no p-p-problem," he said through another yawn.

"Just thought I'd let you know that you can have your bed back."

George mumbled something that Loki didn't catch, so she asked him to repeat it. "I said I'm cold and lazy." He opened one eye. "Can I get a hug from my favourite trickster?"

"I thought you were your favourite trickster," Loki giggled as she walked over to the couch. "Besides, I'd feel terrible if I let you sleep down here."

"Let me?" George asked as he pulled her down on top of him. "What are you, my mother?"

Loki was about to retort when she noticed their… rather compromising position. She was straddling his waist, and her hands were placed on his chest, while his rested on her lower back. George was starting to fully wake up, and she felt something stirring in his lower regions.

"Err, right, hug, bed. Right." George said, giving her a gentle squeeze before trying to roll her off of him. This didn't work. Instead, both of them crashed to the ground, only this time it ended with him on top of her.

"Right. Bed. Sleep," Loki breathed. He was so close. All she had to do was lean up her head and press her lips to his. But she couldn't do that. He'd never speak to her again.

"Right." George jumped up as if she'd burst into flames before offering her his hand to help her off of the floor. When she was standing, he smiled down at her. "Good night Loki."

"Night George," Loki replied quietly before speeding away to the stairs.

From the boys' stairwell, Fred was grinning like a maniac as he thumped back up to his bed. Merlin, this was going even better than expected! Now for the Hogsmeade weekend to (hopefully) seal the deal. He needed to get a hold of Rhys and let him know. Fred burrowed down into his covers just as he heard George open the door. With a grin, he watched as his twin tumbled into bed with a groan. He heard the muttered sound of a Silencing spell and grinned even wider. Poor Georgie. Couldn't get Loki to take care of it, so he had to… take matters into his own hands.

* * *

"There had better be a damn good reason for you waking me up at 5:35 in the morning with a bloody owl," Rhys Gabriel grumbled outside the Great Hall. He hadn't even bothered pulling on a shirt, and Fred hoped that no women passed by to distract the Slytherin.

"Just that the plan is going better than expected! They might not even need our help getting together!" Fred was excited, but Rhys was irritable without a cup of coffee.

"Knowing my sister she's going to need all the help she can get. She's pathetically shy when it comes to this."

"You're joking, right?" Fred asked with a laugh. "You've got to know about…"

"Oh I know about David, don't worry. But that was luck. She tumbled into that one, literally. They ran into each other in the hall because she tripped. He thought it was cute. La-di-frickin-da they got together," Rhys explained.

Fred didn't feel the need to elaborate on Loki's romantic history. "You're a right twat in the mornings, you know that, don't you?"

"Fully aware of it," Rhys yawned. "Hogsmeade weekend is coming up. What say the four of us meet up for lunch at the Three Broomsticks and we ditch the lovebirds?"

"Sounds good to me," Fred replied. He started to walk away, but Rhys clapped a hand down on his shoulder.

"Listen to me Weasley. I hope you make this very clear to your twin. If he does anything, and I mean _anything_to break my baby sister's heart, you can bet your ass I'll break his neck."

"Duly noted princess. Now go get your beauty sleep." Laughing gleefully, Fred bounded away from the annoyed Rhys.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" the Slytherin muttered to himself as he made his way back to the dungeons.


	6. Chapter 6

The November wind whipped around in the courtyard, where Loki was impatiently waiting for Fred and George to join her for the journey to Hogsmeade. Off in the distance she saw her brother Leo climbing into one of the carriages. Surprisingly (but perhaps not) Zephyr wasn't going. He planned to stay behind and talk to Hagrid about Kneazles. Rhys was long gone. Loki was wrapped up in a long brown coat, with a colourful striped scarf wrapped around her neck (it was so long, it still touched the ground), but she was still cold.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" said a voice from behind her. Loki squeaked and jumped, surprised to find her ex-boyfriend, David, standing there with a grin on his face. He was tall, at least six feet, with high cheekbones and gorgeous grey eyes.

"Arse," she laughed as she smacked him across the arm. "Aren't you supposed to be with my brother?" She looked over the Ravenclaw's shoulder to find that Leo's carriage had already departed.

"Eh, he'll live without me for a day. Where are your bodyguards? I never see you without them anymore." The sixth year looked straight over her head, but the Weasley twins were nowhere to be found.

"The twins? Dunno. Probably on their way down." Loki mentally smacked herself as she realised the twins would probably use one of the secret passageways. Most likely the one into Honeydukes.

"Well, there's only a few carriages left. Would you like to ride with me? We can meet them in Hogsmeade," David said with a smile on his face.

"Well…" Loki turned around but the twins were still not in sight, and the crowd had significantly thinned. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

"Excellent," he smiled and offered her his arms. Warily, Loki slipped her arm through her friend's and he escorted her to one of the horseless carriages. From a distance, Zephyr was shaking his head. She'd gotten out of the relationship once. What was the point of getting tangled up in it again?

The inside of the carriage was warm, and the ride was rather uneventful, with the two of them catching up. They'd dated for close to a year, and he had proposed to her (because hell, it was a puppy-love romance, so to her it seemed rational) before reversing it all by breaking up with her on the first day of school.

When they arrived at Hogsmeade, he helped her down from the carriage and offered her his arm again. She linked her arm with his and they began strolling down the main street.

"So Loki, where do you want to go first?" he asked in his smooth voice.

"Well, the twins are probably in Zonko's if they're here, so can we pop in there for a bit?" she asked.

"Sure."

Zonko's was packed, but even David (who was easily one of the tallest people in the shop) couldn't see the Weasley twins' flaming hair. Loki was examining a nose-biting teacup and wondering if she could possibly trick her mother into using one. Instead, she picked up a package of chocolate Hiccoughing Sweets and got in line to pay while David waited by the door.

When Loki had paid, they left the shop. "Where else might they be?" David asked as Loki slipped her arm through his again.

"Honeydukes, maybe. Otherwise I don't know where they'd go, except maybe the Shrieking Shack."

"Honeydukes it is!" David smiled.

The warm shop was even more packed than Zonko's, but David reported that he still didn't see the twins. Loki was beginning to feel a little annoyed. Had they stood her up? She didn't mind spending time with David, but it still stung a bit that the twins didn't even let her know what was going on.

Loki loved Honeydukes, more so than Zonko's even. She could have easily spent all of her money on sweets. She reached out to pick up a package of Ice Mice, but David gently put his hand down on her shoulder.

"Get whatever you want," he said kindly. "My treat."

"David…" Loki tried to protest.

"Ah. No protesting. I know your favourites, Miss Gabriel, and I'll buy them anyway. Go on. I've got the money."

"But…"

David grinned cheekily and snapped up a box of Pepper Imps to show that he was serious. Loki walked away with a package of Ice Mice, a box of Pepper Imps, two Chocolate Frogs, a package of Sugar Quills, a can of Sugared Butterfly Wings, a box of Cauldron Cakes, and one box of Crystallised Pineapple (she really did like sweets.) David paid for it all, and they went back out into the cold, reluctant to leave the warm shop. When David brushed Loki's hand, he frowned.

"Your hands are freezing. Here." He took her hands and began rubbing them with his own, both of them unaware that Fred and George were standing no more than twenty feet away. Fred was shocked, George hurt. "Ah no, this won't do." David pulled off his black gloves and handed them to Loki.

"But what about you?"

"I'm fine," David grinned as she pulled on the gloves. "Come on. Hungry?"

"Starving," Loki replied, before her eyes landed on the stunned twins. "Fred! George!" She felt relieved to see them, but annoyed at the same time. "Where have you been?"

"Filch caught us hanging around the secret passageway. We were waiting for _you_," George replied softly. "But I guess you were with him."

"Nah, it's not like that," Loki laughed. "We're just here as friends."

"That's not what it looked like," George snapped.

Loki took a step back. "Why are you getting so angry all of a sudden? We're _friends_. I didn't realise I had to ask you if I could hang out with him."

"He's your ex, Loki," George stressed. "He broke your heart, and now you're just waltzing around Hogsmeade with him like it's no big deal?"

"I was waiting for you two by the carriages, and you never showed up!" Loki exclaimed. "They were almost all gone and he and I went together and planned to meet you here! I thought you stood me up!"

"You really think I'd do that?" George didn't even correct his error, but Fred's eyes grew wide.

_No Georgie. Not __**I**__. __**We**__. You're supposed to say __**we**__._

"Well you think I'd abandon you for someone else!"

David and Fred were watching awkwardly from a distance, and George and Loki's spat had started to attract attention. Rhys was leaning against the Hog's Head building and watching the scene unfold.

"I never said that!"

"You implied it!"

"Okay, okay," Fred stepped in. "This was all obviously just a big misunderstanding. Why don't we all just hop inside the Three Broomsticks for a Butterbeer and let this die down, okay?"

"I don't know Freddie, I might have to ask George's permission before I sit down," Loki grumbled. "Look, George, I respect that you care about me, and I thank you, but I've got three overprotective brothers already. I don't want another one. I'm not going to go off and hop in the sack with David, so calm down."

"Fine. Go off and hang around Hogsmeade with him, but don't come crying to me when he breaks your heart again."

"George!" Loki said desperately, but he was already walking away. Fred looked at her helplessly and shrugged before taking off after his twin. Rhys had a murderous look on his face, but Leo was by his side, muttering a few words meant to soothe the hot-headed Slytherin. Loki wanted to scream, but there were already enough people watching the scene. She didn't need to make it worse.

"Come on," David murmured. "Let's get inside." He put his hand on the small of her back and gently walked her towards The Three Broomsticks. When they were inside, David ordered a platter of fish and chips and a couple of Butterbeers before joining Loki at a small table. She nibbled on some of the chips but barely touched her drink. "Do you want to talk about it?" the Ravenclaw asked.

"You're not blind," Loki said softly. "You know."

David chuckled and nodded as he sipped on his drink. "Yes. I know. I'm surprised he doesn't to be honest."

"It wasn't a lie… how I felt about you." For some reason Loki felt the need to clarify. She had loved him. But there was always something about George that drew her in. The mischievous glint in his eyes. His sense of humour. His unexpected intelligence.

"You don't have to explain it to me. I would have ended it much sooner if I thought it wasn't real." David popped a chip in his mouth. "But I know he's the reason you had doubts." Loki opened her mouth to speak, but David put a finger to her lips. "If you want to explore your options, I understand. We're young. But if you find that it doesn't work with George, I want you to know that I will always be here for you. And even if it does work, I will always be here for you, just in a different sense."

"Thank you," she whispered against his finger.

David smiled and pulled his finger away. "You're welcome. Now come on, eat, drink, be merry. You have a lot of sweets in your bag, and some food on the table, and fantastic company if I do say so myself."

* * *

Fred and George were sitting on the steps of someone's house with two hot cups of tea provided to them by the homeowner, a friendly old woman. Neither of the twins were saying anything to each other. Fred was waiting for George to be comfortable enough to speak, and George was waiting for Fred to bring up the topic.

"So…" Fred started.

"I know, I know. I'm a twat," George replied sadly.

"Err… I wouldn't say that. You're just jealous," Fred said in a teasing voice. "If Loki can't tell at this point, she needs to get her eyes examined." His voice turned serious. "I'd lay low away from Rhys for a day or two though, or he might take off your head." Fred stood from the ground and dusted himself off, leaving his teacup on the front step. "Come on, let's go to Zonko's. Who haven't we tricked in a while."

"Malfoy?" George proposed happily.

"Ah yes. We'll prank the little weasel, but only _after_you apologise."

"To who?"

"Loki! She'll be so disappointed if we prank her favourite Malfoy without her."

George held in a snort of laughter. "Favourite. Right." He sighed. "I'll apologise as soon as I see her."

"Why not go find her?" Fred suggested.

"Right, and interrupt her time with David?" George grumbled.

"Oi, you're doing it again!"

"Sorry," George apologised as he stood up, leaving his cup on the front step like his twin. "I can't help it."

"Aww. Little Georgie really is in love!"

The two began walking up the main street, their hands shoved in their pockets to keep from freezing in the November cold. Ahead of them, David and Loki were leaving The Three Broomsticks together, laughing and staying close to keep warm. George bit down on his tongue to keep from making a snarky comment. The last thing he needed was for Loki to be seriously angry with him.

"Why don't you just tell her?" Fred asked in a quiet voice. "Seems like it would simplify all your problems."

"And have her laugh in my face?" George shook his head with a sardonic laugh. "No thanks."

"How do you know she doesn't feel the same?"

"Ha!" George said, quite loudly actually. When people looked at them, George pretended like he'd said nothing. "Because if she felt the same we'd already be together."

Fred groaned. He could just tell his brother, but George would think he was just trying to make him feel better. Just like Loki would think he was lying to make _her_feel better. Oh Merlin, why couldn't this just be simple?!

They passed a newsstand with Rita Skeeter's article about Harry Potter blazed across the front. It was obvious that the poor kid was miserable. Perhaps a joke on Malfoy would make him feel better too.

"You don't know that," Fred replied. "She could be shy."

"Oh what do you know?"

_More than you_Fred thought with a slight smile. "I know of a brilliant way to make a little extra money for the shop."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, and I'll tell you what it is after you apologise to Loki."

George chuckled. "You just don't give up do you? I'm going to apologise to her tonight."

"Good. The First Task is in a couple of days, and I expect to see her snuggling up to you for warmth," Fred said suggestively. George punched his twin in the arm. "Oh come on Georgie. You know you'd love it!"

"Fine, fine. I'd love it," George agreed, but he was smiling. It really was something he would love. Besides, the First Task was bound to be exciting, snuggling or not. It would just be him, Fred, and Loki. What in the world could possibly go wrong?


	7. Chapter 7

_November 23_

That night, the common room was packed to the brim with students milling about, excitedly chattering about the First Task, which was due to happen the next morning. No one knew what it could possibly be. There were all sorts of theories going around, but no one knew for sure. The Weasley twins were going around taking bets for who would win the task. There was a sizeable amount of Galleons in their bet box, and all of the Champions had at least four bets going for them. Ron, of course, had thrown in his bet for Krum.

Loki was sitting off in one of the corners with Seamus, and they were working on a History of Magic essay together, one about the history of Newt Scamander, the famed magizoologist. They had books spread across the table, and every few minutes Seamus would let out a series of hiccoughs. Loki had had to excuse herself from the table more than once, before she doubled over in fits of laughter. Seamus still hadn't noticed that she was slowly replacing his bowl of chocolate-covered almonds with chocolate-flavoured Hiccoughing Sweets.

"So Sca-hic-mander wr-hic-ote _Fan-hic-tastic Beasts and_-hic- oh piss it!" Seamus exclaimed.

"Having a little trouble with Hiccoughing Sweets, Seamus?" George asked as he slid into a chair.

Seamus looked down at the bowl before glaring suspiciously at Loki, who just gave him an angelically innocent grin. Seamus reached down and took another bite of the candies, and immediately let out another hiccough.

"Oi! Where are my almonds?" Seamus roared, though he had a half-grin on his face.

Finally, Loki let out a loud peal of laughter and picked up a crystal bowl of chocolate-covered almonds and slid it across the table. "Thanks for ruining it George. Say," she looked to his side. "Where's Freddie? Aren't you two supposed to be taking bets?"

"He can handle it." George took Loki's hand in his, even though every nerve in his body was screaming at him not to. "I just wanted to apologise for being such a twat the other day."

"No harm done," Loki shrugged, her hand on fire.

Seamus looked between the two with a wicked grin. "I'll leave you two lovebirds. I need to make a bet meself. I got it on Potter." He stood from the table and slipped into the crowd. Loki cleared her throat and George gently squeezed her hand before letting go, not quite as abruptly as he normally did.

"What are you working on?" he asked softly.

"History of Magic essay," Loki griped. "I don't know how Leo stands this subject. But it's about Newt Scamander, so it should be a bit more fun than most essays. You're lucky you don't have to take this bloody class."

George chuckled. "I don't need OWLs to run a joke shop."

"Of course not." Loki sighed and sat back. "I wish I could do something like that. But 'it's not sensible,' and the last thing I need is my allowance being cut off."

"Your mum needs to pull the stick out of her ass," George said.

"Yeah well…" Loki groaned as she ran her hands over her face. "She's coming to watch the First Task. Something about how her family is so bloody special."

George's eyebrows shot up. "She gonna make you watch the task with her?"

"Not bloody likely! She'll probably be sitting with Lucius and Narcissa and their precious little Aryan boy."

George chuckled once more. "Don't worry. You can sit with me and we'll be all right."

Seamus plopped back into his seat. "Alright. My bet's on Potter. Your brother is looking for you, Weasley."

"Ah, I must be off to see what Sir Twit needs. Until we meet again, fair lady," George said in an exaggerated Shakespearean voice before sweeping down into a low bow and scampering away.

"The hell?" Seamus sniggered. "You picked a weird one."

"We're not together," Loki mumbled.

"Yet."

* * *

_November 24_

"Now just grin and bear it," Rhys was murmuring in Zephyr's ear. "She'll pretend to be the loving mother, but when she thinks no one is looking she'll be the same old hag she usually is."

Zephyr snickered at Rhys' verbal abuse of their mother. She was due to arrive at any moment, and the four Gabriel siblings were waiting outside the doors of Hogwarts, bundled up in their winter clothes. Loki promised to meet up with Fred and George later. The last thing she needed was her mother being a bitch towards the twins. They were out taking bets near the arena for the first task.

Zephyr immediately stopped laughing when a beautiful woman in a long, red winter coat walked through the gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was beautiful and blonde and a bitch. Cassiopeia Gabriel (nee Black) was the last person on the face of the planet the Gabriel siblings wanted to see.

She smiled as she walked up to her children, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "My dear children," her voice was sickeningly sweet. "Oh Rhys, look at how handsome you've become! Come here!" she took her eldest son into her arms as if she hadn't seen him in years.

"Thank you, ma'am," Rhys said, bending down to kiss Cassie Gabriel's cheek.

"And you, Leo! How is the schoolwork coming along?"

"Great, ma'am," Leo replied emotionlessly, pressing only a quick peck to the woman's cheek. Cassie moved on to her only daughter.

"Hello, ma'am," Loki said quietly, leaning up to kiss her mother's cheek. She had long ago stopped expecting any sort of warmth from her mother, and though her father provided some compassion, he was cowed by her headstrong, dominant mother.

"Hello my darling," Cassie said in a condescending tone that reminding Loki of her Aunt Bellatrix (from the many times that Cassie Black had dragged her children to Azkaban to make them visit their Aunt Bella.) Cassie made a kissy-face at her daughter and pinched the girl's cheek hard with her nails before waving her away.

Loki watched as her youngest brother went through the same routine, though Cassie's voice was dripping with venom for her Gryffindor son. Leo and Rhys exchanged worried looks, but Cassie did nothing to harm her purest-of-heart son. For some reason, Cassie was less angry with Loki for being a Gryffindor than Zephyr. Rhys' personal theory was because she expected her sons to be Death Eaters, and as far as he knew, no Death Eater had ever been a Gryffindor. Whatever the reason, it was the constant bafflement of Loki and her brothers.

"Now my darlings, I'm so glad I was able to see you, but I'm going to be watching the task with Lucius and Narcissa. Would you like to join us?"

"I think we'll pass," Leo spoke for the group, though he looked at Loki with some concern.

"Are you sure?" Cassie asked, though she really only cared if Rhys tagged along.

"Absolutely positive mother. And we all came to the decision that we're staying at Hogwarts for Christmas holiday."

"Well I'm not surprised," she said airily. "With all that's going on with the tournament, I would be surprised if you came home. Now come along Rhys, let's go watch with Lucius and Narcissa." Without giving her eldest any room to protest, Cassie dragged him along with her to the arena.

"Crazy bitch," Zephyr muttered, rubbing his cheek where Cassie's nails had pinched him too hard and drawn blood. "Well, I'm going to watch it with Seamus and Dean. Are you coming, Loki?"

"Yeah, yeah. Tell David I said hi, will you Leo?"

The arena was packed with Hogwarts students and a few various wizards that had come to watch the task. It was hard not to pick out their mother and the Malfoys, but Loki and Zephyr did their best to ignore them. The siblings split up, and Loki crept up on the Weasley twins, slipping her hands over their eyes with a grin.

"Guess who?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Could it be… Pansy?" Fred asked innocently.

Loki had an offended look on her face. "Please don't ever compare me to that absolute _cow_again!"

"Speaking of cows, how was the visit from your mum?" George asked, pulling Loki down to sit between him and his brother.

"Short, unpleasant, and thoroughly annoying. She's got Rhys trapped with the Malfoys." Loki looked down into their bet box, which was resting on George's lap. "Holy shite."

"Shhh!" George shushed her. "I know it's impressive, but not everyone needs to know!"

Fred choked on his Butterbeer, before snapping back with, "Oi! I thought we agreed _I_was the more gifted brother!"

"Oh no Freddie. I think we agreed it was me."

"Well Hell, why don't I just say it's Charlie and we all move on with our lives?" Loki threw her hands up in the air. Both twins fell silent.

"You've seen Charlie…" they said simultaneously

"Oh hell no," Loki made a face. "I just wanted to shut you up!"

"Us? Stop talking?" Fred asked.

"Never." George grinned.

Loki smiled and rubbed her hands together as Ludo Bagman's voice boomed over the arena. The First Task was about to begin. And holy shit. There were dragons.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry Potter was a bloody genius. That's all Loki had to say. She watched from one of her favourite cushy chairs as Fred and George lifted him above their shoulders.

"But pack it in all together?"

"NEVER!" they shouted together, as more cheers went up from their fellow Gryffindors.

"Go on! Open it!" someone shouted.

Harry, grinning, obliged. The grin was quickly wiped off everyone's face as some horrible monstrous screeching erupted into the room. Between the thoughts of 'ow' and remembering to clap her hands over her ears, Loki realised how fortunate Harry was that Fred and George hadn't just dropped him flat on his arse. Struggling, Harry managed to snap the golden egg shut once more. Whatever the hell that noise was, it sure as hell wasn't supposed to come from a dragon egg.

"What the bloody hell was that?" came a familiar voice.

The entire common room turned to look at Ron, who was staring, horrified, at the golden egg. Suddenly the atmosphere took an awkward turn.

Fred decided to point this out, Captain Obvious. "All right everyone.. uh… go back to your knitting. It's going to be awkward enough without you lot listening in."

"Very subtle," Loki muttered as the twins began walking towards her. "Bloody hell, you two never cease to amaze me," she stood and smiled at the twins, who were looking proud of all the food and supplies they'd nicked from the kitchens. Loki's stomach grumbled loudly, but she tried her hardest to ignore it.

"Well obviously we do everything to impress you," Fred said sarcastically, slinging his arm around her shoulder with a grin. "Don't you know? We're totally smitten with you. Only thing we ever thing about."

"Your sarcasm, sir, is not appreciated," Loki said with a grin before throwing his arm off of her and collapsing back onto her chair. She looked towards Ron and Harry, who were speaking in low voices. "You reckon they're going to make up?"

"Oh yeah, and then the world will be full of their little babies," George snorted as he sat down on the couch.

"Your lack of anatomical knowledge is scary, Mr Weasley, particularly when it's your own gender."

"I've got plenty of 'anatomical knowledge' about blokes and ladies, Miss Gabriel," George replied.

Fred choked on the pastry in his mouth. He really needed to stop eating whenever Loki and George were arguing with one another.

"I'm sure you do. Who was it you shagged in the lockers after that last Quidditch game last year?" Loki inquired snippily. "Alicia Spinnet, yeah?"

"Nah, it was Katie Bell," Fred corrected her.

"Ah. Right. Alicia was earlier this year, yeah?"

"Right. First day if I remember correctly."

"Last day I got shagged too."

"Really?" Fred asked with a wicked grin.

"Really."

"Oi! I'm still sitting right here you know!" George burst out, a little peeved that his brother and love interest were so nonchalantly discussing his sex life (and her sex life. Fred, of course, was far too brilliant to let anyone in on his, though George knew for a fact that he fancied Angelina Johnson and was currently shagging a sixth-year Ravenclaw in his spare time. A rather fit Ravenclaw too.)

"Yeah, yeah we know," Loki replied, waving him off. George's jaw dropped.

"How rude of you Miss Gabriel," Fred maintained a very light tone of voice. "Georgie, shouldn't she be punished for that?"

"Punished indeed," George agreed, the first word rolling off of his tongue like a purr. Oops. Loki's stomach grumbled, breaking the mildly sensuous atmosphere George had tried to create. She muttered something unintelligible and smacked herself in the stomach. George raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you eat something?"

"Not hungry," Loki replied automatically.

"Clearly your stomach thinks otherwise," George said, his brows furrowing as the feeling of worry flooded his mind. Surely she had to be starving. He hadn't seen her eat lunch nor dinner. Breakfast, maybe, because she had been leaving the Great Hall when the twins arrived for breakfast (due to her cow mother showing up.)

"Nope. Just not feeling too well." It was an obvious lie, but George decided to let it go, for now. "Now, if you'll excuse me." This was even stranger. Ever since David had broken up with her in the beginning of the year, Loki was much less involved in being a trickster than normal. It seemed like all she thought about was getting away from the Weasley twins. Were they really that expendable to her?

_Can't be _George thought. 'Won't be' was more like it. Loki slipped from the room. Maybe the Weasley twins weren't the problem. She really had loved that stupid Ravenclaw. Maybe it hurt her more than George cared to think about.

"What do you reckon is up with her?" George asked his twin.

"Eh, probably just needs a good shag. Why don't you volunteer Georgie? I'm sure she'd appreciate it." Fred stole Loki's seat and took a sip of her Butterbeer.

"Blokes can't get in to the girls dormitory," George replied matter-of-factly.

"So you'd do it then?"

"Not what I said."

"Oh George. You're about as thick as a stone wall. Or Goyle." Fred popped a cream puff in his mouth. "Why don't you just try? What harm could it do? Worst case scenario she says no."

"You're a git," George grumbled.

Fred flashed him a cheeky grin. But George couldn't help but worry about Loki. And why the hell was she lying?

* * *

Rhys was about ready to take his eyes out with a spoon. Mother had insisted on dragging him along to dinner with the Malfoys. Father was working late again – that was the issue with Unspeakables, they worked an entirely different schedule than everyone else. Not surprisingly, Leo's greatest aspiration was to be an Unspeakable.

He was just grateful his git of a cousin hadn't been invited. Little Draco. He wanted to turn the kid into a ferret (which, thankfully, Moody had already done.) He tuned out most of the dinner conversation, although he did pick up on one particular thing. Lucius, in that slippery voice of his, leaned in to say something to Cassie.

"It's been burning." And for some reason, Cassie Gabriel was agreeing.

It? What the hell was _it_?

* * *

Loki skipped breakfast in exchange for a cup of coffee, and now in Charms class her stomach was making such a loud noise that Seamus couldn't concentrate on his Banishing Charm. Then again, not very many people were paying much attention. It was getting closer to the holidays, and with that came everyone's general lack of caring for classes (except perhaps Hermione.)

Loki was half-paying attention to the Banishing Charms, and occasionally sent an object flying across the room so quickly that Professor Flitwick would have to stop it from shattering against the wall. He watched the Gryffindor wave her wand with a worried look (the last thing he needed was something else in his classroom getting broken, even if it wasn't Seamus' fault), but that was always broken when Harry Potter would do something similar (including accidentally transporting Professor Flitwick across the room, which got a good laugh out of everyone.)

Loki felt her stomach grumble again, but she set her teeth on edge, determined to ignore it. That is, until someone started going through her bag before placing her package of Ice Mice on the table. She hadn't touched the sweets David bought her, but carried a box around just in case the hunger became too much. Angry that someone was going through her belongings, she looked up with a ready retort, but Seamus just gave her a kind smile before trying to work on his Banishing Charm.

She really was hungry…

The package of Ice Mice was gone in thirty seconds flat, and Loki's teeth were chattering like mad. Seamus groaned. Really… he had to pick Ice Mice? There had been a package of Cauldron Cakes in there too. Those were nice and quiet and didn't make any distractions. Loki looked like bloody Jack Frost, and sounded like she'd been tossed into Siberia with no clothes on.

Seamus slammed his head down onto his desk with a groan. Why, oh why, did he have to pick Ice Mice?


	9. Chapter 9

Hunger. What could take her mind off of the hunger? A prank sounded like the order of the day. Let's see, it was just after Charms, so next was… nothing! Oh she loved Wednesdays. It was the best day. Charms all morning then nothing til nighttime, for Astronomy. Her two favourite classes and the best day for pranking. Oh Wednesdays really were the best. Ironic really, since 'Wednesday's child is full of woe.' Where had she heard that? Didn't matter. Oh dear, people were really starting to stare.

Loki was standing outside the Charms room with a manic grin on her face. People probably thought she was insane. Hell, her brothers probably thought (_read: knew_) she was insane. Leo would have torn her in half if he knew what she was doing. Not the pranking of course, but… the _other_thing. He already almost set her on fire the first time he found out.

Loki shook her head to clear her mind of the thoughts and realised that she'd somehow made her way up to Gryffindor Tower, and the Fat Lady was looking at her expectantly. Loki guessed it wasn't the first time she'd been asked for the password.

"Er… sorry," Loki mumbled before muttering the password. The Fat Lady, looking relieved, swung open and Loki climbed into the portrait hole. The common room was fairly empty, and it was sort of nice actually. There was a bright blue poster on the notice board, and when Loki read it she felt her stomach drop.

_All Gryffindors fourth year and up must report to the Transfiguration classroom at five in the afternoon for an announcement. – Professor Minerva McGonagall_

Oh Merlin. McGonagall's announcements were usually unpleasant. Like more Transfiguration homework. Or that Sirius Black (a second cousin… or something like that) had tried to break into Gryffindor Tower (or rather… had succeeded in breaking into Gryffindor Tower.) What in the world could this one possibly be? Were they all getting some hellacious lecture about the party they'd thrown for Harry? Hopefully not.

Pranks, right. What could she do, and to whom? What would her namesake have done? Her back began to burn and Loki groaned. As quickly as she could she dashed up the stairs to her dorm room – the one she shared with Lavender, Parvati, and Hermione. Luckily, she was alone. Or rather, as alone as she could get. Loki flopped onto her stomach and pulled out a flat box from under her bed.

Blowing out the breath she didn't even realise she'd been holding, she lifted the top off of the box and found herself face-to-face with a portrait of the infamous trickster god, his hair flickering like the flames. Why, oh why, had she ever gotten the tattoo?

"Hello, yes, you called?" Loki asked.

"You were thinking of me again," Laufeysson said mischievously.

"Kind of hard not to. We share a name. Oh, there's also the matter that you're stuck on my back forever and ever."

"And you listened to me and performed that charm."

Laufeysson had a wicked look in his eyes. Not the good kind of wicked, mind you (… Loki couldn't believe there was a good kind of wicked. Being with the twins taught her that.), but the legitimate kind of wicked. Like the kind you would expect from…

"Oh you're not really going to compare me to the Dark Lord _again_are you?" Laufeysson asked in a bored voice.

"Kind of hard not to," Loki repeated through her teeth.

"And shame, shame Miss Gabriel. Whatever would your brother say if he knew you were st-"

"Get to the point," Loki said in exasperation.

"Oh child, you have so much to learn," Laufeysson tutted. "Manners, child. Manners."

Loki could have screamed. Sometimes the portrait was helpful, but it was always slippery. She wanted to strangle her father sometimes for gifting her the enchanted portrait. Of course, every bloody portrait is enchanted, but he had to pick the Norse god of mischief and fire, didn't he?

"Fine. Please, Loki, son of Laufey, will you get to the bloody point?"

The portrait let out a cackle. "A prank, my dear. Sweet Odin, sometimes I think you were better suited to Slytherin. What kind of prank shall it be this time? Shall we harm or maim? Perhaps humiliate. Or even… that secret desire that all wizards have… to take the life of another…"

Loki went to slam the lid back onto the box, but a shout from her namesake caused her to stop.

"Very well. A harmless trick, for now. Perhaps something simple. But humiliation? Of the master Malfoy? I'm sure you would very much enjoy that…"

"Stop it," Loki said firmly, though she couldn't deny that what Laufeysson said was true. The portrait was like the devil on her shoulder. The gentle nudge, the thought whispering _try it, try it… it won't hurt a bit…_when the 'it' was stealing money from someone's purse.

"I called. You didn't have to come. You did that of your own accord," Laufeysson pointed out.

"You would have burned holes into my back if I didn't," Loki retorted.

"Ah… but I still didn't force you to come. Could it be that Miss Loki Gabriel finds the dark side a little… appealing?"

Loki slammed the lid down onto the box and shoved the portrait back under her bed, nearly screaming in fury as a loud set of cackles erupted from the box. So much for wanting to play a harmless prank on someone. Sometimes she swore the portrait's only purpose was to sway her to her parents' beliefs. Like that would ever bloody happen.

She hadn't realised she was shouting these things, nor had she realised she was standing in the common room, because a little first year was staring at her with wide-eyes.

"What?" Loki barked. The first year started to run, but Loki immediately felt guilty. The tattoo burned again. "Wait." Laufeysson be damned. She heard his cackle in her ears.

The first year stopped and turned, terrified of what she might do. Loki smiled and dug in her bag before pulling out a Cauldron Cake. She held it out to the little boy, who was eyeing her curiously.

"Please, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell. Here, you can have it. I have loads more." She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way and held it out as far as her arm could stretch. "I promise, it's not poisoned," she teased, hoping to break the ice. The little first year reached tentatively for the cake before snatching it out of her hands and gobbling it down in three bites.

"Thanks," he said quietly before dashing off to his next class with a grin, chocolate smeared across his face.

Now how to pass the time?

Reading always helped. Or perhaps she should start on her Transfiguration homework. Anything to pass the time until five.

* * *

Zephyr heard his sister screaming in the common room and his face blanched. The portrait of Laufeyson had tried to talk to him once, and there was this sort of blackness in his mind for only a moment before he broke away. Leo refused to go anywhere near it, and Rhys echoed a similar sentiment, though it was obvious that he was lying through his teeth.

At home, Zephyr heard Rhys talking to the portrait in the dead of night. Perhaps not talking. No, a smooth, slippery voice was urging him on, talking of darkness and power and the fall of Odin and the coming of Ragnarökk and how those who sided with Loki Laufeysson would forever know free will. Zephyr had to admit the portrait painted a convincing picture, but Zephyr wasn't so easily swayed.

There was something so _wrong_ about the portrait. But for some reason, he could never convince _his_Loki to dispose of it. It was like the portrait had a grip on her. John Gabriel had gifted the portrait to Loki upon her acceptance into Hogwarts. Zephyr wondered if perhaps he had ulterior motives.

But surely Loki wouldn't give in. No way. Not Loki. She had goodness in her, and she had George, the complete opposite of darkness.

At least, that's what Zephyr hoped.

* * *

_5:00_

The fourth year and up Gryffindors were all gathered in the Transfiguration classroom. The boys were on one side, the girls on another with the exception of Loki, who was standing by the twins. McGonagall was waiting for Filch to fix the gramophone, and all the students were just chatting, wondering what this could be about. Loki's stomach grumbled.

"Now, one of the most ancient traditions of the Triwizard Tournament is the Yule Ball, held on Christmas night."

A collective groan seemed to burst forth from the student body. One glare from McGonagall was all it took to silence everyone.

"Each champion is expected to attend. Now the Yule Ball is very simply put, a _dance_."

When every stared, McGonagall sighed and elaborated.

"A dance for couples."

The girls burst out squealing, and even Loki seemed to have a bright smile on her face.

"Now," McGonagall said with a slight smile on her face, "this means that we expect the highest behaviour and conduct from you all. Don't go thinking that it's a chance for you to goof around. You are, after all, representing your school! Now then, I'll demonstrate to you how this dancing should be done. Hmm… Mr Weasley!"

The twins and Ron all snapped their eyes onto the professor, but Ron sort of mumbled, "Yeah?"

"Will you join me please?"

"…wot?"

"Join me. Up here! Come on, we don't have all day!" Ron looked absolutely miserable and George let out a wolf whistle. Fred leaned against the wall with a grin, his hands shoved into his pockets. Ron reluctantly got up and gambolled over to where McGonagall was standing impatiently. With a nod to Filch, the music began. "One two three, one two three." They waltzed in place.

The twins were taking the mickey and humming the music, pretending to waltz with the wizened Transfiguration teacher.

"You're never gonna let him live this down are you?" Harry whispered.

"Never," the twins returned gleefully.

Loki smiled and leaned against George, who looked down at her in surprise before grinning himself. Without anyone noticing, he snuck his arm around her waist and held her close. Of course, he thought she was just letting him do it to be nice, and she thought he was doing it to be nice in the first place. Neither suspected what the other was thinking: _should I ask him/her to the ball?_

Fred, on the other hand, knew it was his mission to get a hold of Rhys and present him with a fantastic idea.

* * *

"That's a fantastic idea!" Rhys exclaimed to Fred as they met up outside near the Black Lake. They'd taken a walk, and then Fred had proposed the idea: get the two of them together somehow involving the Yule Ball. The 'somehow' part was obvious. One of them had to ask the other.

"Thanks, mate. So you convince Loki, I convince George?"

"No…" Rhys said thoughtfully. "No the other way around. _I_ convince George, _you _convince Loki."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Figured if George knew he had her older brother's approval he might go on. And Loki trusts you. If she hears it from George's twin, maybe she'll listen."

"I like you more and more every time we talk," Fred said with a wide grin. "You're not bad for a Slytherin."

"You're not bad for a Gryffindor. Now I hear talk through the Quidditch vine that you're interested in a certain Gryffindor Chaser…"

Fred grinned.


	10. Chapter 10

"And then… this… this is so dumb!" Seamus exploded, causing Madam Pince to let loose a barrage of shushing in his direction. Loki giggled. The gnawing hunger in her stomach had been eased a little by the porridge she'd managed to force herself to eat this morning, but only a little.

It was just a thing. She didn't eat when she was upset or stressed. Then it became like an addiction, not eating. It was difficult to start again. Leo was the only one of her brothers who knew. And he would absolutely kill her for it. Already, her ribs were showing just a tad bit more than normal.

"Madam Pince is going to eat you alive if you're not careful," Loki said softly as she thumbed through her Divination book. "No one said the class was fun."

"Aye, that's true enough," Seamus grumbled. "And then there's this bloody ball coming up. Just as dumb."

"Oh come off it," Loki giggled. "When do we ever do anything _fun_ around Hogwarts? Like really _fun?_"

Seamus shrugged. "According to the stars, I'll grow warts on my toes if I dance at the Yule Ball."

"Well as long as you don't set the place on fire I think it should go magnificently," Loki said with a dreamy look on her face.

"Yeah? Well you're a girl, so I'm not surprised. Has Weasley asked you yet?" Seamus asked, stealing her Divination book to read the bit she'd stopped on.

"George?" Loki asked in surprise. "No. Why would he?"

"Wow…" Seamus looked up. "And that hat seriously considered putting you in Ravenclaw?"

"Well my family wanted Slytherin, so hell why don't we just say you wanted me in Hufflepuff?" Loki threw her hands up in the air.

Seamus raised an eyebrow. "Why in the bloody saints' name would I want you in Hufflepuff? But seriously Lokes, you're thick as a brick."

"What do you mean?" Loki asked.

Seamus groaned. "Weasley bloody fancies you! You know. Fancies? Like how David fancied you?"

"Cor… you're fuckin' me," Loki borrowed one of Rhys' favourite phrases.

"I wish," Seamus grinned. When Loki tossed a Pepper Imp at his face he laughed. "Nah, I'm kidding, no offence. But seriously, Weasley does fancy you. And its' obvious to the little people living on…" he looked down at the Divination book "… Nereid that you fancy him too."

"Do you even know where Nereid is?"

"Orbiting Neptune," Seamus replied smartly. "But seriously Lokes." She grinned at his nickname for her, even though it was longer than her actual name. "Why don't you just… err, grow a pair doesn't seem too right, but it'll have to do… and ask him to the ball?" Loki opened her mouth to retort, but Seamus sensed what she was about to say and cut her off. "And don't say he'd say no. He would jump off the Astronomy Tower just to get you to ask him."

Loki's eyes went wide. "Merlin, Seamus! He's not crazy!"

"Who's not crazy?" David asked as he slid into the seat next to her.

"David," Seamus directly addressed him before Loki could answer.

"Me," the Ravenclaw affirmed.

"Yes, you. Do you agree that George Weasley bloody fancies this girl here?"

David looked his ex over before grinning. "Yeah, I'd say he fancies her."

"Oh Merlin… not you too," Loki groaned.

"And!" Seamus went on, ignoring Loki's groan. "Do you think she should ask him to the ball?"

"No," David said. "I think he should ask her. It's the proper thing after all."

"I hate you both," Loki grumbled.

"Who are you going with, Freeman?" Seamus asked.

"No one." Loki could hear the grin in David's voice. "Going stag. Yourself?"

"The same," Seamus replied. "Apparently the Weird Sisters are supposed to be there."

"Really?" Loki re-entered the conversation, actually interested. She liked the Weird Sisters, but then again, who didn't? Oh right, Muggles and crazy people. Muggles only because they had no idea who the Weird Sisters were. Her mother wasn't a fan, but then again she definitely fit into the latter category. Oh yes, Leo wasn't their biggest fan, but he was always a little off in the head anyway. Not to say that he disliked them, he just didn't adore them. Oh what did it matter anyway?

"Really really."

"Heard there's supposed to be firewhisky too," David grinned. "Or maybe that was just the twins I heard it from, with their usual plotting."

"Wait…" Loki gave him an odd look. "You've been talking to the twins?"

"Err… no?" David replied, though it was obvious by the look on his face that he was lying. Of course he'd been talking to the twins! He needed to make things absolutely clear between him and George, and that was that there was no competition for Loki's heart. David had relinquished it on September 1st and now he was bowing out of the chess game. George had won. But somehow, David always knew that the Weasley twin was going to win. Not that he believed Loki was something to be won, but her heart was a tricky thing to win over. Hence the metaphors. "Heard it through the grapevine."

"The what?" Loki asked.

"Muggle expression," Seamus and David answered, almost in sync.

"Ah…" Loki rolled her quill between her fingers. "Do you know who Leo is going with?"

"Eh… not sure. Some lady from Beauxbatons." David shrugged.

"Well at least he'll get shagged," Seamus said with a grin. Loki shivered in disgust. Last thing she wanted to think about was her brother writhing under the sheets with some girl.

"Oi! I'm sitting right here you know!" Loki exclaimed.

"Right. And I'm sure you'd rather be doing Divination homework."

"Hmm, let's think about this," Loki said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She put on an over-exaggerated 'thinking face.' "Would I rather do Divination homework or talk about my brother's sex life? Oh wait… the answer's obvious!"

"Sex life?" Seamus asked cheekily.

Loki threw another Pepper Imp at him, causing David to laugh loudly in that deep baritone voice he had. Merlin, she'd always thought it was sexy. The three of them heard Madam Pince rushing their way, but when she reached the table, she found it entirely empty, except for a few Pepper Imps.

Gasping, Seamus looked around the little alcove hidden behind a tapestry of Ptolmey and an Egyptian God known as Osiris.

"Never thought there was anything behind that tapestry! How did you know about it, Freeman?"

David grinned wickedly at Loki, who turned scarlet. Seamus was still observing the alcove and didn't notice. "Oh, found it last year. Rather useful actually."

Loki's mind was filled with the remembrance of moans and his lips and that final scream she let loose that nearly earned them detention. Oh she hoped Rhys wasn't a Legilimens. She'd be hexed into next week and David? Probably into next century (well… that wasn't that far away)… or perhaps the next era. Midnight escapades were fun, but thank Merlin that Peeves had done something that distracted Filch away from the tapestry.

"Hmm… seems like it," Seamus straightened himself up. "I'll have to remember this one." A grin to rival David's crawled over Seamus' face. Loki groaned. Why, oh why, did she have to get along with men better than women? Even the most gentlemanly of men (_read: David Freeman_) could be animals. Err… well, that came out wrong.

"What came out wrong?" David asked, looking at Loki in confusion.

_Oh bloody hell did I say that out loud?_

"Yes, and that," Seamus said. "What came out wrong?"

"Nothing," Loki grinned cheekily. If there was one thing she knew about Seamus, it was that he hated secrets (well, and he liked fire and things that went BOOM.) Seamus groaned.

"Rude," he mumbled, something he'd picked up from Loki over the years.

"Oi! I am not rude!" Loki protested. At this point David burst out laughing, causing Loki to glare him down. "What the bloody hell was so funny about that?"

"Don't you think it's a bit _rude _to be friend-zoning and/or cockblocking someone for three years?" he chuckled. "I'm sure George thinks it's a bit…"

Loki tossed a handful of Pepper Imps at his face.


	11. Chapter 11

"… mischief and fire," someone was saying. Her head jerked up and she saw George sitting in front of the fire reading one of her books aloud. How in Merlin's socks had he gotten her book?

_Oh wait genius. We're wizards. We can summon things._

She looked down and, to her dismay, realised that she had written that thought on her Potions essay. She drew three neat lines through it before looking around the common room. She and George were entirely alone. The tattoo on her back burned and her stomach screamed from lack of food. Somewhere, she swore she could hear Laufeysson cackling.

Loki sighed and stood before making her way over to the hearthrug, sitting down next to George. "How did you get my book?"

"Lavender got it for me," George admitted with a grin. "Can't blame a bloke for being curious."

Loki certainly couldn't blame him. After all, she was a bit curious herself, but about other things. Her cheeked heated up and George chuckled. He liked it when she blushed. He thought it was cute. Not that he would ever tell her that.

"Oh…" was all she could think of to say.

George looked back down to the book. "Interesting namesake you have."

"Yeah…" Loki rubbed the back of her neck. Loki son of Laufey was interesting indeed. Why in the world he was called Laufeysson (when Laufey was, after all, his _mother_) she didn't know, but she liked it better than Loki Fárbautisson. According to the portrait, he did too.)

"So about this whole ball thing," George laughed, closing the book, though he was doing anything to make the situation less awkward. "Wickedly cool, yeah?"

"I heard um… through the applevine? No… that's not right. Through the grapevine… I think… that you and Fred are planning on bringing firewhisky."

"Grapevine?" George was confused. "Sounds like a Muggle expression."

"It is," Loki replied. "I just learned it today. Seamus and David explained it to me. Well, not explained, but they said it, and I gathered it means something like 'I heard it from blah blah blah.'"

"Ah," George said, somewhat stiffly. Even though David has assured him he had nothing to worry about, that was just from David's end, not necessarily from Loki's. He cheered up immediately, just to show her nothing was wrong. "Freddie and I have it on good authority that there will be plenty of firewhisky at the ball and in the punch."

"Excellent," Loki grinned. "Nothing like firewhisky to loosen everyone up. Has Fred asked Angelina yet?"

George was surprised. "You know about that?"

"Who doesn't?" Loki rolled her eyes as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her uncle's pocketwatch. Holy Merlin's socks, it was nearing two in the morning! "What are you still doing up, George?"

"Didn't want you to be alone," he replied simply, causing Loki to send a mental surge of affection in his direction. Then the physical surge came when she hugged him tightly. George smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"That's awfully nice of you," she said, though she was uncomfortable in his arms. It felt so right, but there was the small issue of him not thinking it felt right.

"Eh, anything for my favourite trickster," George chuckled.

"How self-centred of you to talk about yourself that way," Loki replied smarmily.

George lightly tapped her on the back of the head. She nudged him back, but when he returned it, he pushed her too far and suddenly they were on the floor, in a rather compromising position. How in the world these things kept happening to her, Loki didn't know. However, George wasn't making much of an effort to move off of her.

"Err… George?" she breathed.

He reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. Oh sweet Merlin what was happening? Suddenly, Loki's back felt like it was on fire, and she swore she could smell burning flesh. She let out a horrendous scream, causing George to practically throw himself off of her, nearly landing in the fire. By the look on his face, he could smell it too.

"Loki?" he began, but she had already taken off up the stairs.

She burst into the fourth year girls' dorm, not caring at all if she woke up her suitemates. She yanked the portrait box out from underneath the bed and dashed into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She pulled the lid off of the box and threw it across the room, not caring as the lid floated lazily to the ground. It was only made of cardboard after all.

Laufeysson was idly waiting for her, though there was a murderous grin on his face.

"What?" she practically screamed.

"Temper, temper," the portrait scolded her. Loki wanted to throw the portrait into the flames of the fireplace, but Laufeysson knew this. "You can't do that." His voice was sinister. "You always were a stupid girl. Listening to what a bloody portrait told you."

"What… do… you… want?" Loki hissed, her teeth grinding together. She was gripping her wand so hard, she was almost afraid she would snap it in half. She set the wand down and whirled around, pulling her shirt up, not caring what a bloody portrait thought of her. There, in all its glory, was her tattoo.

Slithering down her back was a tattoo of a serpent. The head of the serpent was close to her neck, where it curved down, its mouth wide, its fangs extended and dripping with venom. Chained to a rock was a lithe figure, obviously in agony, and little droplets of venom fell from the serpent's mouth to hit the figure's face. The figure's hair was the colour of fire. There was a tiny set of runes beneath the figure, which roughly translated to: _Loki and the serpent._It was rather elaborate and very well done. Of course, a magical tattoo would be. Wizards are brilliant at this sort of thing. Thankfully, the tattoo wasn't a moving one. It was the reason she didn't swim in the Black Lake, or really anywhere. Why she didn't wear dresses. Why no one saw her naked. She'd gotten it over the summer, two days after school let out. Her last shag with David had been against the wall (and she hadn't seen him all summer) so he didn't know about it.

Where the droplets of venom were, a tiny hole was burned into her skin, one for every droplet of venom. If she wasn't careful, the holes would become infected.

"Ah yes, sorry about that," the portrait apologised, though it was obvious that Laufeysson didn't care in the slightest at the damage he'd done to her. "But I thought it was obvious what I wanted." The portrait looked straight at Loki with a mischievous quirk to his eyebrow. "They don't call me the god of mischief for nothing."

"You burned holes into my skin…"

"To remind you that you are _mine_," Laufeysson said. "And while you may pretend that that doesn't matter, you know that it does."

"You're a bloody portrait! Not a person!"

"Ah Loki," Laufeysson began.

"Don't you dare say my name," Loki hissed.

"But it's my name as well. I can use it if I like. You cast the charm. You did this to yourself. You listened."

"I thought I could trust you!"

"Loki?" came a worried voice. Loki recognised it as Hermione's. "Who are you talking to?"

"You thought you could trust the trickster god?" Laufeysson barked out a laugh. "No, I don't mean mine in that pathetic sense you humans believe in. I mean mine as in I am a part of you. You cast the spell. You gave me that power."

Loki could say nothing. The tattoo was no better than a Dark Mark, the mark of the darkest wizard of all time.

"Comparing me to Him again?" Laufeysson asked lazily.

"Fuck off!" Loki waved her wand and was forced to listen to the cackles of the portrait before she slammed the lid down onto the box.

"Loki?" Hermione sounded scared. "Do you need me to get Professor McGonagall?"

"I'm fine!" Loki forced her voice to be cheery. She was far from fine. If anything, she was doing terribly.

Oh Merlin… George. He probably thought she was insane. Loki groaned and slumped to the ground. This was honestly the last bloody thing she needed. Honestly! Something nice needed to happen soon, or she was going to shove a box of Pepper Imps up Fate's arse.


	12. Chapter 12

"Do you want to go to the ball with me?"

Loki looked up in surprise at a rather timid-looking fifth year Gryffindor. She didn't even know his name. Wait… wasn't it something like Evan? Err… that sounded right.

"Sorry?" Loki asked.

"The ball. You and me. What do you say?" The boy (who might be named Evan) repeated.

"Sorry mate… but I have no idea who you are," she replied honestly. That got him away quicker than a charging Manticore. Next to her, Zephyr burst out laughing. It was breakfast time, and (vaguely aware that Leo and Rhys were watching her) Loki had piled her plate high with kippers and was devouring them. It was her first proper meal in a long while (well it felt like a long while anyway.)

Zephyr couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't going to the ball (unless someone could convince an older girl to take him), and watching his siblings fend off potential suitors was his form of entertainment for the next few weeks. He'd already watched Rhys flee from his fan club at least twice this week, and Leo was doing his best to fight off a few determined Ravenclaw girls, who just didn't understand the concept of 'I already have a bloody date!' (though Leo would never be so rude to his fellow students.) There had, of course, been the usual letters from Mum (Zephyr liked to filch them from Rhys' schoolbag) going on about how proud she was about having such an attractive son. Rhys, for once, was dreading being the most attractive of the Gabriel brothers.

"You couldn't have let him down any lighter, could you?" Zephyr teased, though it was, of course, all meant well. Loki was honestly surprised someone _wasn't_ asking the third-year to the ball, what with him being so nice.

"Well Merlin's socks, I didn't even know his name!" Loki said, flustered. "Is it Evan? I swear in my head it was Evan."

Zephyr chuckled and nodded. "Evan Murkwell. Apparently something of a duelling champion."

"And horrible between the sheets," Rhys panted from behind them. "At least that's what some Ravenclaw I shagged told me."

"Good Merlin's socks!" Loki looked at her brother, doubled over and trying to catch his breath, before looking at the door to the Great Hall. A tiny crowd of girls were searching the room, their eyes wide and wild. "I'd run now if I were you."

Rhys groaned and looked over his shoulder. One shriek from the leader of the crowd and he was off running, jumping over the Hufflepuff table and dashing as fast as he could away from the girls. They went on a merry chase through the Great Hall before Rhys managed to break free and run toward the rest of the school

"Poor bastard," Loki mumbled through a mouthful of kipper.

"Very ladylike," Fred said as he sat down across from Zephyr. George took his place at Fred's side, across from Loki. "Was that Evan Murkwell we just saw over here?"

Zephyr nodded as Loki swallowed down her kippers.

"Hmm, interesting. I'll have to hex him later," George muttered as he rolled up his sleeves.

Zephyr chuckled and Fred was thankful he hadn't started eating or he would have choked on his food, like always.

"Please do. Something nice though. Nothing too dreadful," Loki leaned over to look down the table, where Evan Murkwell was sitting with some of the other fifth year boys, looking somewhat unhappy. "Poor guy."

"What happened?" Fred asked as he scooped an omelette onto his plate. George stole the kippers straight from under Loki's nose, causing a rather sad look to appear on her face.

"My kippers…" It was like she'd lost a child.

"He tried to ask her to the ball. She told him she had no idea who he was," Zephyr explained helpfully.

"Poor bastard," Fred chortled before digging into his omelette. George, on the other hand, was looking mildly triumphant. "He the first person to ask you?"

"To ask me to the ball, yes. To ask if I have a date, no. And before you ask, those aren't the same thing," Loki replied, before swiping her kippers off of George's plate. Now it was George's turn to look dejectedly at his plate.

"Who asked if you had a date?"

"Seamus and David, at the library," Loki replied as if it was the most innocent thing in the world.

"Wait… wait… let me get this straight." Fred held up a hand and chugged down half of his pumpkin juice before continuing. "Two of your exes ask you if you have a date, but don't actually ask you to the dance?"

"Right… I believe the term is 'ex' after all," Loki replied sardonically.

Zephyr snorted in his pumpkin juice, then began to cough as some of it went up his nose. Fred didn't have much to say, but a wickedly triumphant grin was spreading across his face.

On second thought… "Where's your brother? The Slytherin?"

"You saw him." Loki jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. "Probably being sexed to death. Not that I'm sure he minds that bit, but some of those crazy birds are determined to get knocked up with his kid so they get the family fortune. Merlin's bloody tits, we don't have all of the Black family fortune. Far from. Maybe part of it. Nowhere near the money the Lestranges or the Malfoys have, and definitely not the money cousin Sirius should have right now."

"Sexed to death?" Fred mused. "Doesn't sound too bad."

"Why do you care anyway?" Loki asked suspiciously. The tattoo on her back burned. Laufeysson wouldn't know a damn thing about it. The burning ceased almost as quickly as it had started.

"Oh just curious. Heard he wanted to talk to Georgie here." He slapped his brother on the back, nearly sending George face-first into a pile of eggs.

Loki blanched. Rhys wanting to talk to George? Definitely didn't sound good. George looked equally concerned. Rhys was known for being… a bit (_read: hellaciously, ridiculously, outrageously, etc._) overprotective of his only sister.

"Do you know why?" Loki asked.

"Not at all." Fred thought he ought to congratulate himself on that one. They believed him! "So does he actually have a date? Or is that just your other brother? Caught him going off on a couple girls earlier. Don't think he meant to, but it was still hilarious to watch."

"I think he's taking Elvira Mackelroy."

"Err… sorry, who?" Fred asked.

"Slytherin, sixth year," Loki replied, sounded about as excited as someone forced to read an entire set of encyclopaedias. "Bit of a slag, but then again, Rhys does sort of like getting laid. She's pretty, a bit bright, awfully cunning, but an easy bitch."

George and Fred exchanged amused looks. "You really don't like her, do you?"

"Not at all. She's been over before. One of the crazy bints who thinks she'll get the family fortune, but like I said. Easy. Pretty. Right up Rhys' alley. He's not looking to settle down with her, so I suppose I don't give a flying fuck one way or the other," Loki said thoughtfully before shoving a kipper into her mouth. "Just as long as I don't get her as a sister-in-law."

From outside the Great Hall, Rhys could be heard shouting something, but he was quickly drowned out by the sound of a screeching fan club.


End file.
